3/5/13

Before tossing that empty bottle of vino into the recycling bin, think about upcycling it into a handy automatic water dispenser for your houseplants. Simply rinse out the bottle and fill to the top with cold tap water. Invert it right into the potted plant so the neck of the bottle is immersed into the soil. The set-up will give your plant a slow trickle of water. This is perfect if you're planning a vacation and need to keep your plants hydrated -- just use a large wine bottle for a large plant and a glass soda bottle for smaller plants.

3/4/13

Reusing glass jars with lids is an eco-friendly and economical way to store food, spices and other perishables in the refrigerator. But sometimes glass jars can have a slight odor. Use newspaper to remove the smell. It's simple -- since newspaper is designed to absorb ink, it absorbs others things, too, like odors. Just crumple a page you're done reading and place it inside the jar. Let it sit for several days. Remove the paper, rinse and you've got a completely odorless jar.

03/3/2013

Many of us are turning to tap water as an eco-alternative to bottled water, which is a very good thing. And many of us are using water filtration pitchers and faucet devices to filter the water, which means pricey filters that need to be replaced and disposed of on a frequent basis. Before filtering, find out if your tap water even needs to be filtered. Inexpensive at-home water testing kits from the home improvement store can tell you exactly how clean your water is. You might be surprised to learn your tap water is perfectly safe to drink.